Reach and Connect support local VCS initative
Paul Higgins, Community Connector at Reach and Connect, has recently supported with Ariam Shed, a community workshop dedicated to the repair, restoration, and upcycling of furniture. Haringey Community Collaborative, delivered by Public Voice and Mind in Haringey, is also supporting the new initiative.
Located within Clements House in Northumberland Park, Ariam Shed is a community workshop dedicated to the repair, restoration, and upcycling of furniture. The initiative provides a welcoming and inclusive environment where residents can develop practical skills, build confidence, enhance their wellbeing, and contribute to reducing waste through creative reuse.
Project development and partnership working
Ariam Shed was established through collaborative partnership working facilitated by Paul Higgins, a Community Connector at Haringey Reach and Connect. Through these connections, key stakeholders were brought together, including Jason Keen, Manager of Clements House, who sought to introduce a Men’s Shed-style initiative within the sheltered housing scheme, and Guillaume d’Arjuzon, whose experience in community-based upcycling projects helped shape the development of the workshop.
The project secured financial support from two funding streams that recognised both its environmental and social value. One stream came through the VCS Healthy Neighbourhoods Fund, administered through the Haringey Community Collaborative, and the other came from the Haringey Carbon Fund to support the environmental objectives of the initiative, particularly its focus on furniture reuse and community participation in sustainable practices.
The VCS Healthy Neighbourhoods Fund recognised the well-established contribution that Men’s Shed initiatives can make to reducing social isolation, improving mental wellbeing, and fostering stronger community networks. The fund also acknowledged the importance of investing in accessible, community-based activities within Northumberland Park, an area facing significant social and economic challenges.
Alongside financial support, Haringey Reach and Connect has continued to provide valuable guidance and networking opportunities, helping to establish the partnerships and local connections necessary for the long-term success of the project.
Establishing the workshop
Following three successful pilot sessions in April 2026, project leads Andy Bass and Guillaume d’Arjuzon worked alongside early participants to co-design the workshop space. This preparatory phase included securing donated tools, testing activities, and creating an environment that would support both individual and collaborative projects.
The workshop officially opened in May 2026, with a formal launch event taking place on 14 May 2026. The launch event provided an opportunity to recognise the collective efforts of the organisations, funders, residents, and community members involved in the development of Ariam Shed. It also offered stakeholders the opportunity to explore the workshop and discuss its anticipated contribution to community wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion.
Ariam Shed is open every Friday from 10am to 6pm at Clements House, 1 Siddons Road, London N17 9UQ.
Participation is free of charge and open to all members of the community, regardless of previous experience, skill level, or ability. Participants may undertake their own projects or contribute to collaborative furniture repair and upcycling activities within the workshop.
Plans are currently being developed to introduce a programme of specialist workshops, providing participants with opportunities to gain additional practical skills while contributing to focused restoration and creative reuse projects.
For further information about Ariam Shed, please visit www.ariam.world/shed.
